Discoverer Service Project - Zandvlei Clean-Up

I planned a Service Project as a clean up in the Vlei. I contacted Mike Ryder, who is a resident of Marina da Gama, to assist with his knowledge of plastic being littered in our environment. Mike showed us the nets fitted in the canal. He has spent many years organising this project.

Residents from the Marina also joined, this was coordinated by Pixie Levesque. All together 73 large bags of litter were filled. We picked up, to name a few, nappies, takkies, boots, lighters, toothbrushes, pillows, glass bottles and even a mattress. The plastic is blown or thrown into the canal, that leads into the vlei, in turn into the sea. There were people on land, as well as in canoes on the vlei working on the banks from the water.

During the day we saw a mole hill, pushed out of the ground, from that

hole there was old pieces of plastic, that someone had buried before. Plastic does not decompose. Plastic from 100 years ago is still on this earth.

We learnt that Eco bricks aren't ideal, after some years the plastic may corrode and will burst open, all this plastic will come out again. Plastic is harmful to our sea creatures. This affects our eco-system and ends up in our food chain.

Our only solution to this problem is to not use Single Use Plastic. Spread the word to other people so that they know what affect it has on our environment.

Thanks to Scouts Dominic, Jack, Luke, Mateo and Rohan for joining me. Thank you Mike for chatting to us and sharing your knowledge with us, also to Pixie for joining forces, as well as allowing us to use her boats.